What started it all!

This is the set that started Snails N Tails Boutique. 

Date: 1 week before Thanksgiving, 2007

   I had been sewing off and on since I was 12, but had never really gotten into sewing clothes.  I made a few things for myself, but I had never sewn knit, and I'm a jeans and tshirt kinda gal, so I rarely wore the things I made.  I then turned to sewing crafts.  I made quite a few stuffed animals for friends and family, then when the long eared muslin bunnies were so popular, I made lots of those for friends and family.  I attempted a baby quilt and baby outfit when Ryan, my oldest son, was born, but I didn't have a clue what I was doing, really. The quilt got finished, but the baby outfit never did. I made curtains, and small pillows, but not much else until Ryan was 7.  It was then that I decided I wanted to learn to quilt, so I did.  I found out all I could online, and I located a local quilters group and joined.  I took a couple classes and made lots of quilts. One day I'll post my quilt photos.  I was never great, but I enjoyed it tremendously.

 My boys are 10.5 years apart so Ian was a complete surprise!  He came along in Dec. 2006 and made our family complete.  But clothing him was boring!  When Ryan was a baby, I found lots of cute and colorful outfits for him.  Gymboree had really cute things with lots of cute applique on them, but when I looked for Ian, there was just screen printed and drab, boring things to dress him in.  I resigned to the fact that he wouldn't be dressed as cute as Ryan was, and we went on with our lives.  

Jump forward a year and I've decided I want him to have something cute for his first birthday, so I search ebay.  Ebay was the place to buy anything back then.  So, I searched boys birthday shirt...or something like that, and a few things caught my eye.  It didn't take me long to figure out I needed to search "boys custom boutique", and what I found absolutely amazed me.  I had no idea that boys could be dressed soooo cute!  I was hooked!  But there was one problem!  We were a single income, struggling family with 2 kids.  I couldn't afford to buy any of these adorable outfits for my sweet baby, but I knew I could make them.  I had never done applique, but that had never stopped me before.  If I want to learn how to do something, I do it, so I did.

Between Thanksgiving 2007, and mid January 2008, I made Ian about 8 different outfits, along with a few small quilts and blankets for gifts. All during this time, I was doing research to see what kinds of things sold best, and what styles I liked best.  By February, I was ready to launch my new business, and Snails N Tails was born.  I started out Snails and Tails Boutique, and later changed it to Snails N Tails Boutique.  My first 3 sets I listed sold for around $65 each, and they all sold to the same lady.  I wish I remembered her now, but sadly, I don't.  My style has changed a lot, going from simple appliqued sets to over the top appliqued sets, to girls sets, and through it all, my favorite sets have always been those first few I made for my sweet baby boy.

First Birthday overalls.  I even made his robeez style shoes with a 1 on them out of leather.

His first Christmas custom.

The first 3 sets I sold on ebay.